notlikejohnny's 05 DC Build

Will update this post as it progresses.


2005 Double Cab Limited 4x4, LSD Rear, Tow Package, Phantom Grey Pearl

Figured I would finally get around to making a build thread for this truck finally, I've done a bit of work on it thus far, so I've added any pictures I've found just to update it, and will update more as I go.

Background: Replaced my 2005 Nissan Frontier Nismo 4x4. My search began around 2018, and after many search hours and test drives, found it. Purchased in Oct. 2019 with 140K on the OD, 1 owner, garage kept locally to me in VA. No rust to be found except the dreaded frame stiffener section in the rear (Did not see this upon my inspection before purchase, but no crying over spilled milk).

Purpose: Camping/adventure rig, errands/Home Depot runner.

Wheels/Lift/Suspension Specs and work:
-Old Man Emu 2.5" lift coilovers
-Toytec front diff drop kit
-Porsche 930 high angle CV boots
-ECGS front diff bushing and new OEM diff seal
-SPC UCAs
-Old Man Emu Nitrocharger rear shocks
-Suspension Maxx Extended sway bar links
-Moog Sway Bar Bushings
-Trail Gear LSPV bias extension
-Wheelers 3 Leaf AAL w/overload
-(5) Falken Wildpeak AT3/W 285/70r17
-(5) Level 8 MK6 17x8 Omm/4.5bs

Fixes/maintenance:
-TB/WP - 143k miles. Previous owner did TB/WP at 120k (have receipts) but the WP failed on me so I had the whole thing done again.
-Thermostat/O-Rings
-Front/Rear Diffs, T-Case fluids
-Power steering spill and fill
-Oil (Mobile 1 High Mileage) and filter (OEM) every 5k miles
-Lube drive shaft every 5k miles - Valvoline Palladium #2 3% Moly (VV70112)
-Lube SPC UCAs every 5k miles - Valvoline Palladium #2 3% Moly (VV70112)
-PCV replacement
-Engine air filter
-Front Brake Pads
-LSPV brake bias adjusted up
-Rear diff breather extension
-Rear Drum star nut adjustment
-LBJs replaced at 147k. Suspected they were originals.
-ATS OEM style leaf pack bump stops
-Color matched Leer Shell/Wired third brake light
-Wiper cowl passenger side drain issue fix
-Painted faux wood grain interior accent pieces rust-o flat black
-Plasti-dipped badges and front "chin"
-Replaced LBJ bolts (90105-12316) torqued to 59ftlbs, blue loc-tite, and marked with paint pen @167k
-Installed Porsche 930 high angle CV boots (Kartek), and repacked inner/outer CVs with OEM reboot kit @167k
-Energy Suspension Steering Rack Bushings @167k
-OEM Outer TREs both sides @167k
-Moog Inner TREs both sides @167k

Rust Treatment:
Had whole frame treated with Noxudol undercoating after rust inhibitor. Now treat yearly with lanolin based wax product (PFC).

To do List:
Driver side wheel bearing replacement
Frame Stiffener replacement
Upgrade DIN/JBL speakers
Tint Match front
Wheelers Braided SS brake lines front and rear
Brake Fluid flush
Replace camper shell gaskets and window seals
HID headlight upgrade
Fog LED pods
ATS HD Springs, replace u-bolts and saddles at the same time
Driver-side rear door check (Dorman Nissan mod)
Replace the bottom window weatherstripping that are cracking and peeling - Going aftermarket to save some $ - 2000-2006 Toyota Tundra Double Cab Front and Rear Door Outer Belt Weatherstrip Kit, 4 Pieces, Left and Right Side | Mill Supply, Inc.

Gone:
-Camping drawer system and sleeping platform - Loved it while we had it for camping, but the number of times I couldn't use the truck to do truck things over the last few years, made it less appealing. Now I just throw a mattress in the back with totes for the gear.


As she is now:


Day I got her next to what she replaced. Never realized how narrow the Frontier was.


Scored a color matched Leer shell on FB from a guy with same truck as me for $400. Not the best deal, but it had keys, third brake light, sliding windows with screens, and had the skirt overhang I was looking for.

Wired the third brake light. It has a few LEDs dead, but it works and I'll replace it soon enough. Was also my first ever attempt at wiring and electrical. Not professional, but it works.





Before Lift/wheels/tires. 100% grandpa truck, pappy cap and skateboard wheels.

After OME Lift, SPC UCAs, Wheelers 3 AAL, 17x8 MK6 and 285/70r17 Wildpeaks.
Squatting in the back from the old tires and suspension parts in there. The front has settled since first installed, and it looks much more level now. But the rear definitely will need new packs in the future.

 

Camping Platform

Wanted this to be my family getaway rig, built a simple platform for my Frontier, but wanted something more substantial. When COVID hit, and my job went remote, I used it as an opportunity to build it out exactly as I wanted. I wanted it to be as light as possible, being a fixed platform because I didn't have any space to store it otherwise (townhouse living). It took me the better part of a month to do it, not having a garage really made it difficult to do, having to bring tools in and out each day, storing lumber outside under a tarp etc. But I got it done and love it.

Materials:
3 sheets 3/4" and 2 sheets 1/2" plywood
Kreg Pocket hole jig
1" kreg pocket hole screws
1" and 1 1/2" wood screws
Wood glue
Indoor outdoor carpet from HD
Box cutter
3M 90 spray adhesive
HD staple gun
Locking drawer handles with matching keys
(6) D rings
hex bolts and washers
wood sealant
HDHP sheeting cut to 1" strips
Power tools: Circular saw, table saw, jig saw, power drill, orbital sander, belt sander


Here is the finished product.



Progression of the build:

 

Love the platform, I'm planning to do basically the exact same when I find a shell.....how easily do the drawers slide on the HDPE strips? How spacious is it back there? Do you think it would feel too cramped if you made the platform 6-8" taller for more storage?

 

@gcholmes1 Its not bad at all, I have to balance the heavy items inside the best I can, otherwise it requires a little more oomf to get them open or shut. So far it hasn't degraded at all, as grit and dirt work themselves in I'm sure it'll start to get harder. At that point I'll just try and clean them off the best I can. It was a tradeoff I chose, because I know slides would be much easier, but they are heavier, more expensive, and would eat up a lot of drawer space.

As for space, I would like a higher cap for head room, but I can sit up inside without my head touching, but maybe only by an inch. Width is plenty for me, my wife, our toddler, and our two small dogs. So yea, higher drawers would definitely eat into it, unless you can get an above cab height topper. FWIW, the drawers are about 6'x24" and 8" deep.

 

Truck looks good. $400 for that camper top was a steal.

 

Do you rub w the 285?

 

Looking great!

Will you be replacing the wheelers AAL with a full custom deaver / alcan pack? I have the progressive pack + airbags now.

Also - Are those factory yellow fog lenses? I dig that look.

 

Sorry for the hiatus. No rub at all!

 

Yea the plan is to replace the whole pack with an ATS HD spring pack, I don't wheel enough to get a progressive pack.

Those are the factory fogs, I used a vinyl wrap on them, some knockoff brand from the big A. I actually just took them off two days ago because the fogs were burning the vinyl, had a black spot right in the middle where the beam is most intense. I did it before on my frontier, and it worked alot better. That was Lamin-x brand, so probably a better quality material.

 

Installed PIAA wipers since I've only used Rain-X for as long as I can remember on all my cars and they really just seem to work terribly on the Tundra.
Lubed all 8 zerks on the driveshaft
Lubed the SPC UCAs
(Finally) installed the Trail Gear LSPV brake bias extension ~3 years after lift


Repurposed the rear diff breather extension I had left over from my Frontier. Perfect fit. If I recall correctly, the union was a Toyota part when I installed it on the Frontier so makes sense. The Club Frontier guys recommended using an in-line fuel filter to prevent any dust/debris from being sucked back into the line. The i/d of the tube was too small to fit the OEM breather on this one, so I think it'll work fine this way.

 

Newest projects:

Reman Alternator - #27060-0F040-84

Old crusted and oil soaked, think the valve covers may have leaked on it?

Shiny and new


Repacked and rebooted both CVs using:
OEM boot kit x2 - Part #044380-0C020
Drive shaft snap ring x2 - Part #43425-04020
Kartek Porsche Boots x2 - EMPI Bates Porsche 930 CV Joint Boot Clamps Directly To CV Joint And Covers Up The CV Joint Bolts - Kartek Off-Road
Worm gear clamps x4 - From local hardware store, did not get rolled edges but suggest getting them, or being very careful with clamp pressure.
Bought a locking ring tool off big forest. Just be easy when doing it, I used a socket wrench by hand.
Since I had to disconnect the LBJ for this, I took the opportunity to replace the x8 LBJ bolts, as I did not replace when the LBJs were replaced. Blue loctite, torqued to 59ft lbs, marked with white paint pen. Part# 90105-12316

Torn left and right



Rebooting process and final install




Waiting on parts/Up Next:
Energy Suspension Poly Steering Rack Bushings

Tie rods - outer driver tre kit #45047-09090, outer passenger tre kit #45046-09210

Driver-side wheel bearing replacement using:
Type D Oil Seal - Part Number: 90316-69001
Hole Snap Ring - Part Number: 90521-99114
Type V Oil Seal - Part Number: 90312-95001
Koyo Bearing HCDU5496-6LFT from Yota Shop

 

So I got in and swapped the steering rack bushings, went with energy suspension poly bushings in black. The rack had lots of lateral play and they definitely were originals in there. It wasnt the hardest job, but time consuming. Since I was changing tie rods at the same time, having them disconnected while working helped alot. Also applied a liberal amount of Formula 5 poly bushing grease. Note, I suspect it was because my garage is freezing at the moment, but putting the grease on the bushings before install and then having to keep them in place while clamping was the hardest part. It was thick and tacky almost like hot glue. Got all over the clamps I used to put them in place, and the clamps kept slipping off from the grease. Anyway, it all worked out, they definitely fixed a good amount of slop.

Old OEM:

New Energy Suspension bushings (like i said liberal amount of grease )



Next was the outer tie rods. Went with OEM from Serra Toyota. Realized the inners probably should be swapped out, once I got in there, so thats up shortly...

Old outers:


New outers:

 

Moog inner tie rods installed, hammered lock rings down, added blue thread locker on them, and packed them up with

$14 VV986 Moly-Fortified Gray Full Synthetic Grease 1 LB

VV986 moly fortified grease before putting it all back together. Zip ties on the inner side of the rack bellows. Will have it aligned this week when I get the wheel bearing taken care of.

Driver side old and new:




Passenger:

(bellow clamp was clamped on after last pic)

While taking the rack apart, found lots of fluid in the bellows.

$15 AT-205 Re-Seal Stops Leaks, 8 Ounce Bottle

AT-205 will be added to try and rejuvenate the seals in the rack and shore up any future leaks.

 

I've got side to side play in my front tires when jacked up and noticeably excessive shake in the steering wheel whenever i drive over rough road and have narrowed it down to what might be my inner tie rods…..My steering rack is completely clean with no obvious leaks, and i had replaced the rack bushings and outer tie rods earlier last year. With 170K, maybe its time for the inners…..

 

How the OMEs treating you? Truck looks great.

 

Damn @notlikejohnny that is some solid work.
I’m about to reboot my cv axles, how was it overall? Did the included clamps fit? I seem to remember reading that one of the clamps doesn’t fit but I tested them out ad they seem fine.